Sheet folding machine with rollers and a pocket

Abstract

In a sheet folding machine of the type having three elongated rollers and a pocket, said pocket having a pair of elongated lip members extending parallel to the axes of said rollers and into a space provided between two of said rollers, said lip members forming between them an elongated opening for guiding between them a sheet, such as a paper sheet or a carton, to be folded into the pocket, elements defining opposite walls of said pocket, one of the wall elements having a portion adjoining the opening of the pocket and secured to one of the lip members adjustably in a direction transversely to the opening and extending into close proximity to an entrance surface of the respective lip member, whereby the width of said opening is adjustable to different sheet thicknesses without changing the position of the lips relative to each other and to said rollers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A paper folding machine of the buckle folding type, including, a. means for feeding sheet material,   b. a sheet receiving pocket for receiving sheet material fed by said feed means,   c. the interior of said pocket defined by generally planar and horizontally disposed upper and lower walls,   d. a forward entrance to said pocket, said entrance defined by upper and lower parallel lip members horizontally disposed, at least the upper lip member being stationary,   e. said pocket bounded rearwardly of the said entrance above and below by said upper and lower walls, said walls each defined by elongated elements spaced from each other,   f. the lower elongated elements secured at their forward ends to said lower lip member,   g. the upper elongated elements secured adjacent their forward ends to a rail member, the forward-most ends of said upper elongated elements being curved forwardly and upwardly,   h. said rail member being vertically adjustably secured to said upper lip member for adjusting the vertical distance between said upper and lower walls.   
     
     
       2. The machine of claim 1 including an abutment member entending into the pocket and adjustable forwardly and rearwardly of the pocket. 
     
     
       3. The machine of claim 1 wherein said feed means is defined by a pair of rollers contiguous to said pocket entrance. 
     
     
       4. A paper folding machine of the buckle folding type, including, a. at least three elongated rollers rotatably mounted in a machine frame and having cylindrical outer surfaces,   b. the axes of rotation of said rollers extending parallel to one another and constituting in a section transversely to them the apexes of a triangle,   c. a first one of said roller having its said outer surface arranged in close proximity to both the said outer surfaces of a second one and a third one of said rollers so as to permit a sheet to be gripped between the said surfaces arranged in close proximity,   d. said outer surfaces of said second and said third rollers being arranged at a distance from one another to thereby define a space therebetween,   e. a generally planar folding pocket for receiving paper fed by the first and second rollers, said pocket extending into the space between said second and third rollers and having an elongated entrance opening entending parallel to and facing said first foller,   f. said folding pocket having at its entrance an upper lip member and a lower lip member, said lip member entending parallel to the axes of said rollers and also entending into the space between said second and third roller and being secured to said machine frame,   g. upper and lower elongated elements defining upper and lower walls of said pocket and extending from said lip members in a direction away from said rollers and defining a space therebetween,   h. said lip members forming between them an elongated and generally rectangular entrance opening for guiding between them a sheet to be fed into said pocket,   i. the said upper wall of said pocket having its forward portion adjoining said entrance opening and means adjustably securing said upper wall to said upper lip member for adjusting the space between the upper and lower walls.   
     
     
       5. In a folding machine according to claim 4, said upper lip member having an elongated recess, the forward parts of the upper of said elongated elements being received in said recess. 
     
     
       6. In a folding machine according to claim 5, said elongated recess of said upper lip being formed by a ridge extending downwardly along the front lower margin of said upper lip member. 
     
     
       7. In a folding machine according to claim 4, said upper lip member being rounded-off and the forward ends of said upper elongated elements being rounded-off, the surfaces of the latter being adjacent to and merging towards the rounded-off surface of said first lip member. 
     
     
       8. In a folding machine according to claim 7, means for adjusting the spacing between said first and said second walls including spring elements biased to pull said walls towards each other and threaded elements to space them. 
     
     
       9. In a folding machine according to claim 4, said upper and lower lip members being adjustably connected relative to each other. 
     
     
       10. In a folded machine according to claim 4, said upper wall element including a rail vertically adjustably secured to said upper lip member, the forward ends of said upper elongated elements fixedly connected to and extending transversely of said rail. 
     
     
       11. In a folding machine according to claim 4, said lower lip member being recessed along a marginal part thereof rearwardly of said entrance opening and said second wall element comprising rods spaced from one another and extending normal to said lip members and being secured at their forward ends in the said recess of said lower lip member.